It is one of the most common misconceptions we hear: 'I have got solar, so a blackout will not bother me.' For most systems, that is simply not true, and the reason is a safety feature, not a fault.
Why standard solar shuts down
When the grid goes down, a standard grid-connected inverter is required by law to shut off. This is called anti-islanding, and it protects the linesworkers who might be repairing the network from power your system would otherwise push back into the grid. Without specific backup hardware, your panels go dark exactly when you want them most.
What backup actually needs
- A battery with a backup-capable inverter, or a dedicated backup gateway.
- A nominated backup circuit. Most setups protect essentials, not the whole home.
- Correct sizing so the battery can carry those loads through the outage.
There is a real difference between a battery that saves you money and a battery that keeps your fridge running in a storm. You can have both, but only if it is specified up front.
Deciding what to protect
Whole-home backup is possible but costs more, because it has to handle every load at once. Most households nominate a backup circuit: fridge, lights, internet, a few power points, which keeps the essentials running affordably. We help you decide what matters before specifying the system.
If blackout resilience is on your list, tell our engineers what you would want kept running and we will design the backup to suit it.
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